Just as many apple and pear family farming operations in Australia are multi-generational, one particular research and development program to support those growers has also spanned the decades.

The Productivity, Irrigation, Pests and Soils (PIPS) program began in 2009 and continues to deliver whole-of-orchard system research, development and demonstration to drive Australian apple and pear production.

Now in its fourth iteration (known as PIPS 4 Profit), the program continues to equip growers with essential information and support to inform their decision making, productivity and sustainability.

PIPS 4 Profit is a five-year program aimed at accelerating the commercial implementation of best management practices that have the greatest potential for apple and pear growers to reap economic benefits while remaining sustainable.

Funded by Hort Innovation using the apple and pear research and development levy and funds from the Australian Government, the program is a collaborative effort led by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) and Agriculture Victoria, in partnership with the Department Primary Industries and Rural Development (Western Australia), New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Pomewest, Lenswood Apples, and Apple and Pear Australia Ltd (APAL).

Over the years, the PIPS programs have built a wealth of knowledge about management systems, soils, nutrients, water use, integrated pest and disease management, and technology.

Through the current five-year PIPS 4 Profit program, economic and business case studies will demonstrate how research and development findings may support growers to improve their profit and sustainability.

The program features an extensive network of farm trials and demonstration sites on growers’ properties.

Participating apple and pear grower Scott Price from Tasmania said the program had already shown value and he was excited about future possibilities.

“I am pleased to see the latest PIPS program is focusing on implementing research on farm to improve our bottom line and ensure our businesses are viable long-term,” Mr Price said.

The key PIPS 4 Profit program areas of activity are:

• Optimising apple and pear production systems by investigating profitable orchard renovation, crop load management, spatial and temporal management and climate readiness strategies that maximise quality and increase input efficiencies, particularly labour and water.
• Using Integrated pest and disease management (IPDM) by combining knowledge on entomology, plant pathology, genetics, ecology, technology, and risk management, underpinned by a community of practice extension model.
• Building sustainable soils by developing new knowledge linking orchard floor managements with soil health and evaluating the economic impact of potential changed managements to overall orchard profitability.
• Preparation of evidence-based case studies that demonstrate how indicators of environmental sustainability and economic benefit can be informed by research, industry and orchard generated data. These show how orchard businesses are undertaking, or can potentially improve, practices that deliver increased resilience, efficiency, profitability and a stewardship approach to managing natural assets and people.

An extensive suite of PIPS 4 Profit resources, including grower case study videos, are available via the Apples and Pear Australia Ltd (APAL) website at PIPS 4 Profit Resources | Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL). 

Growers cotton on to soiled undies

The PIPS3 program which ran from 2020-2023 will long be remembered for one of its novel campaigns, in particular, which attracted widespread attention and grower engagement.

Through the 'Improved Australian apple and pear orchards soil health and plant nutrition' project led by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) and Pomewest, a 'Soil Your Undies' campaign encouraged growers to check the state of their soils in a most unusual way.

Growers buried cotton underwear for eight weeks and then dug them up to check how degraded they were – high soil microbial levels resulted in highly underwear.

The project was effective in stimulating growers to better understand their soil health and sparking an opportunity to improve it.

Good soil biology encourages recycling of organic matter, making nutrients more available to plants. It also supports soil structure and is fundamental to environmentally sound and efficient production systems.

Growers who participated in the Soil Your Undies challenge could submit their results to a website which included a map where growers could compare their soiled undies with others.